‘It’s great’…Eddie Howe delighted with how impressive £25m Newcastle star looks right now

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Newcastle United ended the week in positive fashion.

Though Eddie Howe’s side did not look overly convincing during the penalty shootout win over Blackburn in the FA Cup on Tuesday, Newcastle ended the week by claiming their first home victory since December.

Indeed, a 3-0 win over Wolves at St James’ Park saw Howe hail both Fabian Schar and Tino Livramento as his team moved up to eighth in the Premier League.

At last, Newcastle have options to rotate again. Certainly, one of the biggest returns from injury has to be Joe Willock.

Joe Willock: Eddie Howe buzzing for Newcastle star

The £25m star has endured a frustrating season on the injury front, there is little doubt about that. Thankfully, however, he was able to start his second game in a row since such a lengthy lay-off.

Those behind the scenes at the club are believed to view the midfielder has a potential game-changer for their engine room issues and Howe’s comments after the game certainly appear to echo that.

“I think he has different qualities, although I have to compliment Lewie (Miley) when he came on because that’s a difficult game situation for someone so young, but I thought he did really well,” Howe told The Northern Echo.

“But Joe does add a running and an athleticism that maybe we don’t have without him. I was delighted with his contribution. Yes, we’ve managed his game minutes, but it’s great that he’s come through three games and done really well.”

Joe Willock: How well did Newcastle star play vs Wolves?

Unlucky not to have scored with a diving header, Willock was at his energetic best on Saturday in an impressive performance.

According to WhoScored data, he was one of the five Newcastle players who registered a shot on target. His two key passes, meanwhile, were bettered only by Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes.

Defensively, he ranked joint-second for tackles (3 to Sean Longstaff’s 4) and also made an interception. Important going both forward and back, this was performance that summed Willock’s energy up very well indeed.

As he continues in his return to full fitness, it naturally stands to reason that Willock will keep improving. Going forward, that could be absolutely huge for Newcastle.

It has been a frustrating season for Willock but there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.